Steam ironing board



March 4, 1969 D. H. ToPml-FE STEAM IRONING BOARD Sheet Filed Oct. 2,1964 R. m w w.

4W A fr0 @M9/5' March 4, 1969 D. H. roPLlFFE STEAM IRONINGBOARD Filedoct. 2, 1964 Sheet March 4, 1969 D. H. ToPLlFFE STEAM IRONING BoARDFiled Oct. 2, 1964 lNvENToR. DOH/5 70m/FFE United States Patent O3,430,370 STEAM IRONING BOARD Doris H. Toplite, 1710 Brookside Terrace,Tacoma, Wash. 98465 Filed Oct. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 401,134 U.S. Cl. 38-104Int. Cl. D06f 81/08 This invention concerns a domestic clothes-pressingboard primarily intended to be built into a cabinet in a home, andstored therein when not in use. When it is to be used, it is swungoutside its cabinet, and steam is discharged within the hollow board andexpelled through its forarninous cover, and through a garment spreadover the same, whereby to press the garment with a pressing instrument(hereinafter referred to as an iron) which need not be, but may be,heated. There is built-in provision for forcible expulsion of steam fromthe board, and for eduction and condensation of steam, and drainage ofwater of condensation, at shutdown. Adjustment of the board in certainrespects-in height, for instance, or in angular position about anupright axis-to accommodate users who may have varying physicalcharacteristics or preferences, is provided for.

Such a board must incorporate a steam generator, or boiler, with meansto heat the water and to dispose of condensed steam, and also means tomaintain the water within the boiler automatically at an optimum level.Such supply and drainage means should be arranged for operationregardless of the angular position of the board. It should incorporatemeans to clear or exhaust steam, when required, from within the interiorparts of the board. The discharge of steam into the board and throughthe garments is best controlled by a foot pedal, whereby the hands areleft free to adjust the garments. The provision of a board having theabove and other advantages, yet permanently installed, althoughswingable from and into its cabinet, is the primary object of thisinvention.

It is another object to provide such a board that is adjustable inheight, to suit diiferent individual requirements, notwithstanding itsangular adjustability.

Also, it is an object to provide a board of this character that iscompact, and suiciently inexpensive that it can be economicallyinstalled in most homes.

With these and other objects in mind, as will appear hereinafter, thepresent invention comprises the novel combinations, and the novelindividual parts and subcombinations, as shown in a preferred form inthe accompanying drawings, and as will be described in this specication,and which will be defined in the claims.

FIGURE l is a top plan view, partly broken away, showing the boardoutswung from its cabinet, and 11nfolded, in position for use.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, partly in longitudinal section, ofthe board in its position of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the boiler and of associated partswithin the board.

FIGURE 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section,illustrating details of the water level maintenance means for theboiler.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view of means that control thedischarge of air, either as a vehicle for steam discharge from theboiler and manifold to the interior of the board, or to educt steam todrain from the interior of the board.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the education means for steam from theinterior of the board.

FIGURE 7 is a typical cross-sectional view through the board shown astaken, at the line 7 7 of FIGURE 2.

The board is shown as swingable from and back into a storage cabinet,although of course it may be installed in the open. The cabinet,indicated generally by the numeral Claims f. ICC

9, includes a top or counter 91 which serves as a convenient support forironed or unironed garments (meaning by the latter term any fabricpieces that require pressing). The front of the cabinet, at 92, is open,though normally a door (not shown) will close it when the board isstored within. A false floor 93 raised above the true oor F supports theboard. Water is supplied by a pipe 94, past a cutot valve 95, within thecabinet 9, this supply being delivered to the board by means of flexibleconduit 96. Drainage is carried away by the upright drain pipe 97.

The main support for the board is the standpipe 2 (which may be formedof two telescoping parts), arranged coaxially of and rotatable about thedrain pipe 97, and draining into the latter. This standpipe 2 issupported at its lower end by a turntable 20, rotatable with respect toits support 20a upon the false oor 93, and the upper end of thestandpipe is rotatably held in a guide sleeve 21 secured beneath the top91. The means for adjusting the working height of the board will bedescribed later.

The board itself is hollow, comprising a metal frame 10 perforated oropen at its top end covered with a fabric or otherwise pervious cover11, laminated to a perforated panel 11a, upon which cover the garmentsare spread. Adjacent its inner end, nearer the standpipe 2, it ispreferble to enclose the boiler 3, fan 4, and various controls, valves,conduits, etc., within a closed chamber 12. A perforated manifold 31extends from the boiler 3 to the opposite end of the board, fordischarge of steam, under control of the operator into its hollowinterior, at intervals in the length of the board, and so through thecover 11, 11a and a garment resting thereon. Means, to be describedlater, force the steam through the cover and garment.

In order to shorten the board for storage, its outer end 1a may behinged at 1c to its inner end 1b, so that end 1a may be folded onto end1b, as is shown in dash lines in FIGURE 2. Locking bolts 13 hold end 1ain its eX- tended position. The manifold 31 is broken into twointerengageable parts at the hinge. This construction would beunnecessary if the cabinet 9 were long enough to re- -ceive the fulllength of the board, or if the board were installed without any cabinet,but in most installations the hinged construction will be founddesirable.

The boiler 3 is divided horizontally by a perforated partition 30 into awater chamber 36 and a steam chamber 32. Water is supplied as needed tomaintain the water chamber 36 filled to a predetermined level, by way ofthe exible water supply line 96, past valve 96a that is constantly openexcept during shut-down of the boiler, to a water level control valve33. The valve 33 is opened and closed by a diaphragm 33a that is subjectto variation in pressures at its opposite faces. The right face isexposed to inowing water pressure, that tlows by way of pipe 33b intothe water chamber 36, and its left face is exposed to the hydrostatichead of water in the water chamber 36 by way of pipe 33C. When thehydrostatic head in 33C is sufficiently high the diaphragm closes valve33 against entry of more water, until such time as the water level dropsagain, and the supply pressure in line 96 reopens the valve 33. A boilerdrain line 36u past normally closed valve 36b can drain the boiler tothe drain 97 whenever valve 36b is opened, shutoff valves 96a or 95 inthe water supply line being then closed. The connection of pipe 33C tothe bottom of the boiler by way of drain pipe 36a, ahead of valve 36b,insures that the left face of diaphragm 33a is at all times exposed tothe hydrostatic head within the boiler, `and not to steam pressurewithin the boiler.

Discharge of steam from the boiler 3 to the manifold 31 is controlled bysolenoid valve 5, when the same is energized by pressure upon pedal 50or other equivalent control. The manifold 3.1 also receives air from afan 4 within the chamber 12 when solenoid valve 44 is in one position,and steam within the manifold is thus forced into the space within thehollow board reliance for discharge of steam being placed on the fansdischarge, rather than upon any steam pressure. This steam vapor can becleared from that space when the valve 44 is in its position other thanthat shown in FIGURE 5, control for valve 44 being by means of the pedal40. In this other position the fans discharge, instead of entering themanifold 31, is directed into pipe 41, and past educators 42 (see FIGURE6), through which steam vapor, through holes 43, is drawn into pipe 41by an ejector action created by air ow. There it condenses, and isdelivered to the drain 97 by way of conduits 46 and 47. A blowotf orpressure relief valve, as is normally required with a steam boiler, isprovided .at any convenient point, as at 45. Support of drain line .47is provided by elbow titting 45a which is secured to the boiler 3 at theside of steam chamber 32 by a fastener 45h.

The boiler water is heated, preferably, by an electric heating element39 within the water chamber 31. It may have normal thermostaticcontrols, and various safety devices may be provided, but these areconventional, and are not shown.

The standpipe 2 constitutes the primary support for the board 1. Theboards inner end is fixed to the standpipe and as the latter rotatesabout its upright axis, defined by the turntable 20 and guide 21, theboard swings into or out of the opening 92 in the cabinet. A catch 29carried by the turntable engages or disengages angularly spacedapertures 29a in the turntables support 20a, under control of releaselever 29b, attached to a lever on top of board when pushed downsimultaneously releases spring catches, top and bottom, to permit returnto cabinet, only lower mechanism 29a and 29b being shown. The height ofthe board can be adjusted suitably, as |by means of a jack screw 6threaded within nut 60 held in the upper end of tube 61, and rotable bycrank 62. The jack screw and tube extend between the turntable 20 andthe level of the board itself, and are operable to raise the upper endportion of standpipe 2 relative to its lower end 2a, within guide 21,against spring 21a, or to lower the upper end portion of the standpipewhich supports the board. The sleeve 2a constituting the lower portionof the standpipe, and already referred to, permits the upper end ofstandpipe 2 to move vertically relative to its lower end 2a.

The boiler 3 may be kept filled with -water when shutdown, or if thismight induce rusting or corrosion it can be drained by way of drain 36aand valve 36b after each use, and refilled when needed, by way of pipe94, valve 95, and exible conduit 96 past now-open valve 33. When theheating element 39 has caused the water to boil, steam rises into thesteam chamber 32 under slight pressure, and upon opening solenoid valveit discharges into the manifold 31 and thence into the hollow interiorof the board, assisted by air discharge from fan 4. It issues throughperforations in the frame 10 and through the foraminous board 11a andcover 11, and penetrates a garment upon the board, which can be pressedwith any suitable iron or presser.

If the boiler water becomes depleted, valve 33 opens automatically,until the supply is replenished. During ironing the fan 4 is normallyenergized. Solenoid valve 44 can be actuated to clear steam from withinthe manifold 31, usually when shutdown is imminent, as has already beenexplained. The boiler may be drained of water by way of drain line 36apast now-open valve 36b. Now the outer end 1a of the board can be foldedback onto the inner end 1b, and the entire board can be swung back intothe cabinet, until it is again needed. The controls 50 and 40, which areconnected only by wires (not shown) to their respective solenoid valves,can be lifted back into the cabinet.

If required or desired, brace means may be provided between theturntable 20 and any convenient outer p0rtion of the board, but this isoptional, and has not been shown.

I claim as my invention:

1. A steam ironing board comprising a hollow frame having a perviouspressing surface, a boiler, means connecting the boiler and hollow-frame including a steam valve openable at will to -discharge steam fromthe boiler into the interior of said frame, a support for said board,boiler and steam valve mounted for rotation about an upright axis, afixed water supply source and a xed drainage pipe, conduit means leadingfrom said supply source to the boiler, and conduit means for leadingwater of condensation from the interior of the hollow frame to saiddrainage pipe, in all rotated positions of the board, in each instance.

2. A steam ironing board as in claim 1, wherein the support is hollow,and is formed of a lower part connected to the drainage pipe, and of acooperating upper part arranged to drain into the lower part, andaxially adjustable relative to the latter, the board being mounted uponthe upper part, the drain for water of condensation leading into thehollow support and so to drain, and means to adjust the upper part ofsaid support vertically relative to its lower part.

3. A steam ironing board comprising a hollow frame having a previouspressing surface, a boiler, a perforated manifold leading from theboiler and extending practically the entire length of the hollow framefor discharge of steam into said hollow frame, a steam valvecontrollable at will to discharge steam into the manifold, a fancontinuously operable and connected to discharge air into said manifoldso that the overall boiler steam supply system may be of a smaller moreeicient size, a pipe secured to the end of the hollow frame and havingholes and associated eductors in communication with the interior of thehollow frame and having connections to receive air discharged from thefan, and valve means to establish communication between the fan and themanifold, at one valve setting, and between the fan and the said pipethat has the eductors, at the other alternative valve setting, whereby aow of air by the eductors, through an ejector action, withdraws steamand moisture from the hollow frame of the ironing board at theconclusion of an ironing operation.

4. A steam ironing board comprising a hollow frame having a perviouspressing surface, an upright standpipe supporting one end of said frame,and arranged for connection to a drain, means supporting said standpipefor rotation about its axis, whereby the board may be swung to variousangular positions, a boiler supported by and arranged for discharge ofsteam within said hollow frame, means including a steam valve to controlsuch discharge, means to withdraw and condense steam from the interiorof the frame, and a drainage connection arranged to receive thecondensed steam and leading to the standpipe.

5. A steam ironing board as in claim 4, including means to maintain theboiler filled with water to a substantially constant level.

6. A steam ironing board comprising a hollow frame having a perviouspressing surface, a boiler, means connecting the hollow frame and boilerand controllable to discharge steam from the boiler to the interior ofthe frame, said frame including at least an inner and an outer sectionhingedly connected for folding and unfolding, and means supporting itsinner section for rotation about a generally upright axis.

7. A steam ironing board as in claim 6, including a perforate manifoldwithin and extending lengthwise of the board, connected for dischargethereinto of steam from the boiler, said manifold being formed ofsections which are end-aligned at the hinge lines of the boards sectionswhen the latter are unfolded.

8. A steam ironing board comprising a hollow frame having a perviouspressing surface, a boiler connected to said hollow frame for dischargeof steam within said hollow frame, a valve connected at one side of itsseat to a water supply source, and at the other side of its seat to thewater space within the boiler, a diaphragm operatively connected to saidvalve, the connection between said other side of thte valves seat beinglocated between said diaphragm and said seat, the opposite side of thediaphragm being arranged to be subjected to the hydrostatic head withinthe boiler, whereby the water within the boiler is maintained at asubstantially constant level by a predetermined balance betweenhydrostatic and water source pressures within the boiler.

9. A steam ironing board comprising an upright standpipe meanssupporting said standpipe for rotation about its axis, a drainageconnection leading from the lower end of said standpipe, a hollow framehaving a pervious pressing surface, one end whereof is supported by andswingable with rotation of said standpipe, a boiler also supported fromsaid standpipe, means to supply water to said boiler, means to dischargesteam at will from said boiler into the interior of the hollow frame,means to withdraw and condense steam from such interior, and means todischarge condensed steam, in any rotated position of said frame, intosaid standpipe and so to the drainage connection.

10. A steam ironing board as in claim 9, wherein the steam dischargemeans includes a fan arranged to discharge air continuously into theinterior of said frame, as a vehicle for discharged steam.

11. A steam ironing board as in claim 10 wherein tthe fan is arranged todischarge air alternatively into the steam-withdrawing means, and meansto direct the air discharge either to the frames interior, or to thesteamwithdravnng means.

l2. A steam ironing board comprising a hollow enclosure formed with apervious pressing surface, a boiler and a perforated manifold connectedto the boiler, both located within said enclosure, a valve controllingdischarge of steam from the boiler to the manifold and so to theinterior of said enclosure, a fan also located withinsaid enclosure andconnected for discharge into said manifold, a pipe also arranged toreceive discharge from said fan, and formed with eductor means forwithdrawing gases from the interior of the enclosure, and a. secondvalve arranged to control alternatively discharge of air from the fan byway of the manifold or by way of said pipe and its eductor means.

13. A steam ironing board as in claim 12, including a drain pipe leadingfrom the eductor means for disposition of withdrawn and condensed steam.

14. A steam ironing board comprising a hollow frame ha-ving a perviouspressing surface, a hollow upright support for said board mounted forrotation about its upright axis, a boiler carried by said support, a xedwater supply source and a exible connection thence to the boiler, adrain connection leading from said hollow support, a drain pipe leadingfrom the boiler to the hollow support, and means operable to controldischarge of steam from the boiler to the interior of the frame, hencethrough its pervious surface.

15. A steam ironing board, as claimed in claim 14, wherein the perviouspressing surface of the hollow frame is composed of a foraminons coverand pad.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,562,246 11/1925 Nelson 38-152,427,829 9/1947 Amato 38-104 2,495,468 1/1950 Mueller 38-104 2,521,5129/1950 Gayring 38-15 2,527,363 10/1950 Jacowitz 38-104 PATRICK D.LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A STEAM IRONING BOARD COMPRISING A HOLLOW FRAME HAVING A PREVIOUSPRESSING SURFACE, A BOILER, MEANS CONNECTING THE BOILER AND HOLLOW FRAMEINCLUDING A STEAM VALVE OPENABLE AT WILL TO DISCHARGE STEAM FROM THEBOILER INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID FRAME, A SUPPORT FOR SAID BOARD, BOILERAND STEAM VALVE MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN UPRIGHT AXIS, A FIXEDWATER SUPPLY SOURCE AND A FIXED